Field-capable gravimeters and gradiometers are currently used to measure gravity and gravity gradients for numerous applications including surveys of underground mineral and natural resources, predictions of earthquakes, and global climate research such as monitoring Earth's icecaps and water tables. Primary use comes from oil and mining companies, the defense industry, large-scale government-funded projects such as the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), academic researchers focused on studies of fundamental Earth's properties, and government agencies such as the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The current standard for a high performance “absolute” fieldable gravimeter with high accuracy and low drift is a sensor that is based on measuring the position of a mechanical mirror in free-fall. However, this fieldable instrument suffers from a combination of high cost, high power consumption, frequent recalibration, lack of robustness, and long survey times. For example, the falling mirror wears out after repeated use and requires periodic replacement, limiting sensor utility for long-term monitoring. A second competing technology is a superconducting gravimeter. However, this “relative” instrument compares gravity values at different locations and is susceptible to measurement drift. Further the superconducting sensors require cryogenic cooling, limiting their fieldability; cryogenic cooling consumes kilowatts of power and adds substantial size and weight to the sensor.